The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-07

amount Of work and accomplished great I
results. This was due, in part. to his extra |
ordinary intellectual power and mental equip |
ments, and in part to his perfect physical health,
which enabled him to throw off heavy labors |
with comparative ease. His mental and physi |
cal capacity for work supplemented each other. |
Thus he daveloped steadily and naturally, and |
seemed to rise almost without effort from COM
parative obscurity to national fame. He was
equal to every situation. and met halfway every |
new duty or destiny imposed on him. Mr.. |
Beecher was twenty-six years old when he came
to Indianapolis, and during the eight years he
preached here was constantly, though, perhaps
unconsciously, developing for larger field.
When he went from here to Plymouth Church.
Brooklyn, in l847, it was felt that the West had
lost a rising preacher, bat that wherever ne
went he would be heard from. So he was
In Plymouth Church Mr.. Beecher found his
element. snd his growth there was rapid. lie
was then IN the prime of life. and all his powers
were in full action. He soon became known as
great preacher, and his reputation as pulpit
orator became national In those days and for
many years later visitors to New York never
felt that they had done" the city till they had
heard the great Brooklyn preacher. For more
than thirty years he stood confessedly at the
head Of American preachers. Hundreds of his
sermons were reported and printed as they fell
from his lips, and for many years his congrega-
tion extended almost throughout the English
reading world. We have said Mr.. Beecher
found his element in Plymouth Church. No
preacher was ever more happily situated IN this
regard. He loved his congregation and they
loved him. They understood one another, and
there was complete affinity. The result was
great church and great preacher. Mr. Beecher
built up Plymouth Church and Plymouth Church
built him up They grew together until the
identity was complete The story of his minis
try there would be one of the most remarkable
in the history of modern Christianity.
| But Mr. Beecher more than great
| preacher. Very great as he certainly was in the
| pulpit he was equally great out of it, One of
| his most striking traits of character was his
| large sympathy with human affairs his wide
| knowledge of current events and his deep inter
est in everything pertaining to the welfare of
| the country and Of mankind. Every great re-
| form could count on Mr. Beecher's support, and
| he was an active factor in every movement for
the betterment of human conditions everywhere.
At all times and under ali circumstances he
found on the side Of liberty progress. human
rights and good government He had much to
say about these great topics in Plymouth
| Church pSfpit and much more out Of it, Though
not politician he took part in politics. and
though by no means professional reformer he
| was leader in every reform. Before the war he
was one of the most prominent anti-slavery men.
During5ssAef Sr he waseneatSfr Lincoln's trusted
advisers, and his eloquent voice did noble serv
| ice for the Union cause at home and abroad.
| In Short he was invariably fonnd among the
leaders in every great movement urging for
ward, by tongue aud pen, with matchless
oratory and brilliant style, the great cause of
| human rights and progress. The record of his
literary labors during these years is wonderful.
Apart from his pulpit work and purely profes
sional labors, he lectured regularly during tie
lecture season, contributed the papers to The
Independent for twenty years, edited the
Christian Union and published several volumes
on various topics. In all these ways he con-
| tnued during long term of years to exercise
an influence that was felt throughout the
Nation, and always for good.
Mr.. Beecher was not great theoloeian He
was too original, independent and progressive to
be bound by tenets or anchored to dogmas. He
csyed more for Christianity than he did for theol-
oit, more for religion ruls of life and con
duct than as combination of creeds. He was
always catholic and liberal, and grew more so as
he advanced in age. In recent years his liberal
ism went so far as to receive the censure of
strict constructonists and almost subject him to
tLo charge of heresy. His progress in this di-
rection was the natural result of a sympathetic,
emotional nature. aided by the mellowine. per-
haps weakening influence of age. preacher
who at forty is tolerably independent of
creeds is apt to be much more so at
seventy, especially If he gives full sway
to an emotional nature for so long Mr.. Beech
er's idea Of religion rose above theological dog
mas, and his Christianity had little use for
crseds Yet, he had the stuff in him that
martyrs are made Of, and the principles of hui
man action he preached are the ones that will
last Perhaps his powers have failed somewhat
within the last few Years. Certainly, he has no,
added to his reputation as preacher Tha.
was long since too great to be increased.
Latterly he has shown disposition in his ser
mons to indulge in personal condolences and
"reminiscences, which, interesting in their way
were indicative OF age But he kept the harness
on to the last and did his regular work up to the
| vary daV he was attacked. He and Plvmnntf